Using vital records of the City of New York, we will examine the epidemiology of intrapartum fetal death (IFD) in a total population. The variations of this component of perinatal mortality in time, place, and season, and in relation to social, demographic and maternal risk factors will be studied. We will compare the distribution of such variables among cases of IFD, to their distribution among the other components of perinatal mortality: late antepartum fetal death and early neonatal mortality. Completion of the descriptive and comparative epidemiology will be followed by analysis of the relationship of obstetric care to IFD rates, the latter standardized for confounding factors. This study builds on our present study of hospital care and neonatal mortality and makes use of our knowledge of equipment, procedures, and staffing in each of New York City's maternity services. The analysis will be performed on several levels: 1) A cross-sectional comparison of IFD rates and maternity service quality scores. 2) A comparison of IFD rates and rates of labor surveillance and intervention by hospital. 3. An analysis of the secular trend of IFD rates in relation to secular trends in rates of obstetric intervention. By the end of the study we expect to have a firm understanding of the descriptive and comparative epidemiology of IFD in our population. We further expect to know how IFD rates vary in relation to quality of maternal care, intensity of labor surveillance and frequency of obstetric intervention.